


The Trouble with Resurrection

by SpaMightWrite



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Bed-Wetting, Link (Legend of Zelda) Uses Sign Language, Link is having a bad time, Mild Drunkenness, Multi, Omorashi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Public Nudity, There will be lots of different ships here, all characters are 18+, public urination
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2019-06-24 17:57:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15635811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaMightWrite/pseuds/SpaMightWrite
Summary: Being resurrected after 100 years has unintended side effects. Specifically, Link is having trouble controlling something that used to come naturally. Or, did it? His adventure begins all the same.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm... actually writing a non-wrestling fanfic. Go me. Anyway, it's the usual stuff I enjoy, and this work will cover various episodes that occur in BotW, and may involve multiple ships. Enjoy!
> 
> Also, please forgive any minor plot inaccuracies as I write this. I'm starting my second playthrough of the game and I'll try to catch whatever I can an edit accordingly.

The waters receded. 

And his breath beat the life back into him. 

~

Despite his long biological stasis, most of Link’s senses had returned with remarkable speed. He discovered the sound of the wind outside, the smell of grass that came along with it, the chill of being unclothed in the dark. 

It took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust and clear of the stasis fluid that still clung to his retinas. His limbs sprang to life soon after. His body remembered how to walk even if his brain was worryingly clear of any memories beyond his name. 

Luckily for him, his survival instincts were alive and well. He could walk, climb, put on the simple shirt and pants that were waiting for him nearby. He remembered the feel of the Sheikah Slate even before it was firmly in his hands. And he could understand that someone had brought him here. His heart filled with an unspeakable joy at the thought, but he had no idea why. The idea of that person was on the tip of his tongue, just out of his reach. 

He knocked on the wall of the cave with one fist to see if anyone would come to investigate, but no one did, even after waiting for several minutes in silence. 

So he would have to go out. He would feel alive again with fresh air in his lungs, sharing breath with the world. And he would investigate for himself to see if anyone was around.

In doing so, he met the old man just down the hill. He was tall, authoritative, almost regal in the way he carried himself in spite of the tattered old clothes he wore. 

The old man had plenty of information to share with him, but nothing regarding who he was or what had happened to him. With that, he also shared a few apples, directions to some shrines and a tower that he thought Link should examine. 

In trying to respond, Link found that his mouth had no words to share, but his hands sprang to life without even having to think about it. And the old man nodded along and replied accordingly. Link had little to say, but at least it was understood. 

Before he set off, Link received a warning that he should seek shelter at night, and an invitation to visit the Woodcutter’s house nearby for that purpose. Link thanked him and promised he would do so. 

Link collected whatever he could from the land surrounding the cave from which was reborn, hunting a few boars and birds for their meat with his meager set of tools. He fought the monsters that harried him along the way. What his muscles couldn’t remember he began to relearn with the pain of branches and rocks breaking his skin. Fresh apples and flame-licked meat gave him just enough strength to keep going throughout the following hours. 

His muscles ached and his skin was damp and sticky with sweat by the time the sun began falling. The sword and shield on his back were starting to feel much heavier as he walked in the direction of the old man’s cabin. Upon spotting a small pond in the shadow of a cliff, Link hurried over and dropped his bag in the grass. He collapsed at the pond’s edge and shoved his hands in the clear, cool water. He splashed it onto his face, drank down handful after handful until his belly was sloshing full of it, and washed the dirt and blood off of his arms. He declined to linger, however. The sun was close to sinking entirely below the horizon, and he hardly wanted to stay out once it was dark. 

It was only a few minutes of walking before he spotted a flickering orange light in the distance. He followed it, walking slowly and quietly whenever he spotted a Bokoblin, but otherwise not wasting any time getting to his destination. 

The old man was there, sitting on a log next to the fire, his white beard almost glowing in the firelight. Relieved to see his face again, Link approached and waved.

“Well met, young man,” the older one greeted. 

Link nodded in response and sat down in front of the fire, warming his hands as the darkness brought the chill with it. 

“I expect your day was far more eventful than mine.” The old man gestured toward the lingering red blotches staining Link’s otherwise beige shirt. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Link signed, the words coming easier now that his hands were warm. “A little sore. A few scrapes. It’s rough out there!” He let out a chuckle, which the old man returned. 

“Well, you are more than welcome to sleep inside while I keep watch. I tend to nap like a wolf during most days. You may also use my cooking pot over there if you like, but you look like you would rather rest first. Tomorrow might be far more difficult…”

“Climbing the tower was hard enough,” Link agreed. “A lot more to do.” He stood and walked toward the house, but briefly turned back to sign, “Thank you. I owe you everything.”

The old man smiled from under his hood, and gestured for Link to go inside. 

The house was simple, barely containing much more than a bed of wood and straw, a table, and a few brightly-colored peppers and mushrooms. Link set down his belongings, stripped off his shirt, and slipped under the wool blanket. It was warm, much softer than the dirt outside, and above all else comforting. Nothing felt particularly familiar to him at the moment, but this was as close as he had come to it all day. Even if his memories didn’t come easy, at least sleep did. 

~

In spite of how natural it was for him to get there, Link’s sleep was fitful and plagued with amorphous nightmares. It would never truly take shape, but Link felt in his very blood how evil it was. 

In his dream, he saw a swirling, smoky mass of darkness and a glowing reddish tar-like substance. It spoke not, acknowledged nothing, but Link knew it would come for him. It would tear him apart and everyone else it could find. It would destroy and never be satisfied. 

And there was nothing he could do about it, naked, alone, prone, with no sword or shield to defend himself. 

It was looking at him.

He felt his courage spill out of him from between his legs. His body was wet and hot but he shivered in fear. He shook, cried out, unable to even get up and run. 

Hopeless. Afraid. Weak. 

~

Light filtered in from the window as morning broke across the Great Plateau. It pried at Link’s eyelids and pulled him out of his slumber, though it didn’t have to try very hard. He woke up gasping, tears on his cheeks. In the time it took to regain his breath, he realized that he had been dreaming and breathed a sigh of relief. 

But one part of his nightmare, unfortunately, had come true. 

His pants, his legs, the bed, all were soaked. And there was a puddle underneath him on the wood, as the thin layer of straw couldn’t absorb even half of it. He heard dripping from below the bed onto the hard floor. Link sat up and cringed at the feeling of his pants sticking wetly to his thighs. The fabric was practically transparent now and shining in the morning light. 

Link wiped his eyes but only found new tears burning on his cheeks. There was little he recalled from his life before yesterday, but the shame of having no control over himself was ingrained in his very flesh. Notwithstanding, he’d soiled something that did not even belong to him. He hoped the old man was as kind as he had seemed. At the very least, Link could offer to clean up his own mess.

Link stood and let his soaked pants and undershorts fall off of his hips. The damage already done, he took the dry part of the wool blanket and wiped down his legs, backside, and anywhere else that needed drying. He then gathered all of the fabric into the blanket and bundled it up, slung it over his shoulder, and went to the front door of the house.

Link poked his head outside, expecting to have to explain himself to the old man, but he was entirely absent from the nearby area. Letting out a sigh, the cool morning air caressing his entire body, Link laid out the blanket on the grass and spread his clothes out next to it. 

Though his sense of shame regarding his nakedness was non-existent, he knew he would need clothes to survive in the wild, especially in going up the snowy mountain he saw in the distance. Given he would have to spend at least half of the day waiting for his clothes to dry, he lay down flat in the grass and tried to relax. 

It had to have been a fluke, just a result of his nightmare, or he was still getting used to his body after… whatever had happened to him. 

Had to have been. 

It wouldn’t happen again, would it?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t quite recall if Link had any backstory regarding his life before being a knight in the BotW canon. But I’ve always been fond of the concept of farm boy!Link, so I wanted to bring that into the canon of this story too.

Everything physical was starting to come back to Link as he continued living, thriving off of the bounty of the land after he got back into his clothes. It only took a few stings before he recalled jumping in the water to avoid the wrath of the courser bees, or letting them waste energy on a group of bokoblins before he returned to harvest their sweet honey. He stopped for water whenever he could, even if he wasn’t particularly thirsty, because he never knew how much time might pass before he found more. 

But not everything was coming back. And he didn’t even consider it at that time, given how busy he was exploring the plateau. 

Link was swimming across a pond when he suddenly felt the water get warmer around his legs. It confused him at first; at that same moment he vaguely recalled bathing on a mountain once, the water steaming hot and soothing to his bones. Something to do with the earth and its internal fire. He speculated it could occur on a more isolated basis. It was gone in moments, so he didn’t bother to think more about it. 

Link also recalled how to read, he realized. In returning to the woodcutter’s house, he noticed a book on the table written by the old man. Given that most of this day was going to be a bit of a wash, he decided to take him up on the challenge laid out in the book: recreate his recipe for spicy fish and meat. He went out and caught fish with careful timing and his bare hands, took some of the peppers left on the table in the house, and cooked them both with a steak he had leftover from the day prior. 

He was sitting at the cooking pot, the spicy-savory smell tickling his stomach in the sweetest way, when the old man approached once more. 

“I could recognize that lovely scent any day,” the old man chuckled as he sat down across from Link. “Looks like you figured it out. I commend you, dear boy.”

Link grinned and signed, “Have some?” 

The old man smiled back, oddly sad for a reason Link couldn’t place. “No, but thank you. I really just wanted to remember how it was done. You will need it more than I do, anyway. That meal will keep you warm for a good amount of time, even up on the mountain.”

“I tried once.” Link shivered just thinking about it. “No good. Too cold for me.” He set a single foot in the snow and turned right back. That would have to wait for another day, perhaps when he had warmer clothes. 

As if he was reading Link’s mind, the old man produced a bundle of fabric and placed it reverently on the ground. Link looked at it, his smile growing, and asked with rapid movements, “I can really have this?”

“It is just your size,” he replied with a laugh. “I have no use for it, but I know your journey may take you up the mountain. This will serve you quite well in that case.”

Link thanked him five times before he put on the doublet, which was a lovely dark green. He already felt warmer the moment it came over his shoulders. In the few moments he spent admiring it, the old man had already gone off somewhere. 

Link looked around for him, wanting to thank him once more, but he was out of his sight. Link sighed and glanced back at the cabin, suddenly remembering his shameful morning. He hadn't even had the chance to apologize about the mess. 

The sun was beginning to go down by that time. Link went inside the house and sighed. He also hadn’t remembered to replace the wet straw before he went out that day. Link took off his doublet for the time being and began hauling out the soaked fodder, cringing at the smell. The bed was still damp, and so Link decided to settle down in front of the fire and sleep outside. The ground was at least a little bit softer in front of the cabin, as opposed to the hard-packed dirt inside. 

The blanket, dried by the sun that day, kept Link warm enough in spite of the breeze outside. The fire wasn’t quite close enough to him to do much good, but it did provide enough light that he felt safe. 

His eyelids were heavy, and sleep was quickly sinking into his chest. But he suddenly realized that he had one more thing to take care of before he rested. 

Link threw the blanket off of himself and stood up. He didn’t feel any particular need to do this, but he thought it was best to prevent another disaster. Especially when it would eat up another half-day. 

Link walked several steps away from the house, stood barefoot in the grass, and untied his pants. He shoved the top hem of his undershorts down and let his member free. His left hand reached forward to hold it, as according to his muscle memory, and he relaxed. 

Link exhaled deeply, and began to relieve himself in the grass. He made no effort to conceal his actions, as he hadn’t seen a soul in the past two days other than the old man. And someone who lived in the wild was hardly going to be scandalized by the sight of another man tending to his most natural of urges. 

And even then, Link felt strangely natural in this state. He couldn’t remember why; there was a part of him that knew it was frowned upon in society to do this sort of thing openly. Even then, in his most primal being, it felt… right. It had to be done, and he was doing it when and where he needed to. 

Not far away, the old man gazed down on Link as he took care of his needs. Much as he wanted to consider this unusual or mortifying, it was all too common for Link. Or at least, it was common for him 100 years ago. 

He recalled once observing from a window his daughter walking with Link in the lush castle courtyard. They needed no close accompaniment. Link was, in fact, Zelda’s specially chosen knight for a reason. The princess chatted easily with Link, who responded as always with his hands. The old man was glad to see his daughter within the castle grounds but still enjoying herself. The young lady did want to wander far too much for her own good. 

The old king shut his eyes momentarily and sighed. These were hardly calm or peaceful times, but he would never turn down the chance for a moment of quiet contemplation. That is, until he heard a surprised shriek echoing through the castle grounds. His eyes snapped open, expecting the worst, but he laughed heartily upon taking in the scene. 

Link was a knight of Hyrule. Arguably he was one of the highest-ranking knights in the kingdom. Even his father became a knight for the royal family. But by upbringing, he was a farm boy. 

Which was why he thought little of undoing his trousers and pissing in the patch of flowers next to the stone walkway. And he was somewhat befuddled that his princess had screamed so loudly for no reason. Zelda, blushing so deeply that the king could see her face burning red from his vantage point, had already turned away to keep her eyes averted. 

Even though she craved adventure and knowledge, through and through, Zelda was a royal, and had been conditioned not to look at such things. But even she began giggling and eventually broke out into full-fledged laughter as Link helplessly continued pissing while attempting to ask what was wrong with just one hand available. 

~

The old man watched as Link returned to his blanket and settle down to sleep. If this much of him had survived the resurrection process, the old king thought, perhaps there was hope for Hyrule yet.


	3. Chapter 3

“My father cannot see you like this.” Her voice was full of concern. Fear, even. 

“I’m so sorry. I waited too long. I should have told you.” Shame twisting up his stomach. Warmth in his cheeks, and a quickly cooling dampness all down his legs. His hands were shaking as he tried to apologize again. 

“No, no. Please.” A gentle hand stroked the top of his head. “I am not angry, but.... If he sees what happened, he may think…”

“I know. I’m weak.”

“... He would not understand. But I know you are strong, you are among my champions for a reason. I will never think you weak, no matter what may come.” 

“What do we do?” 

“I am not sure. We cannot leave this room and risk being spotted, my handmaidens are hardly going to defy the will of our king…”

“The pitcher?”

“Empty. I thought about that, too. What can I do…? This is my fault. I kept you here so long…” 

Moments of silence. And then suddenly Link was pushed from his knees down to his buttocks, and Zelda was straddling him. 

“I am so very sorry for this, Link. Please, do not look…”

He didn’t look. But closing his eyes couldn’t make him stop feeling the renewed warmth and wetness spreading over his lap. Link couldn’t help himself. He looked up at Zelda’s face. Her eyes were snapped shut and she was biting her lower lip. She was so beautiful then. She always was. But even here, in her most animal state, Link remembered just how wild even the most civilized people could be. 

Her handmaidens arrived minutes later when Zelda called for them. Zelda plucked at her soaked skirts to keep them from sticking to her, and she spoke softly as she was immediately attended to. 

“I… I was getting up to go to the privy, but I tripped and fell. Link tried to catch me. I think he may have caught the worst of it, too. Please bring some fresh clothes for him, as well. And send my deepest apologies to my father, we may be late to dinner.”

The handmaidens left in a hurry as Link and Zelda waited in their soaked undergarments. 

“Thank you,” signed Link. “For protecting me.”

Zelda chuckled, covering her mouth with one hand. “Call it returning the favor.”

~

The sun had just barely peeked over the horizon when Link awoke. The dream he had was vivid, to the point where he wondered if his subconscious had invented it or if it was a long-forgotten memory being re-enacted. But the woman seemed so familiar, like they were tied together by fate, choice, and by something so much more wonderful than all of that. 

Regardless, he had little time to enjoy it. There was a short moment of panic when he recalled the last time he had a dream where he… 

Link ripped the blanket off of his body and looked down. Mercifully, there was only a small damp spot in the crotch of his pants. It would dry soon enough. He let out a sigh of relief and immediately rolled over toward the grass and got up on his knees.

It was at that moment he realized the damp spot was slowly and steadily growing. He didn’t even feel it start. With a jolt of urgency shooting through his veins, Link fumbled with his trouser strings and pulled his cock free. It was already spraying his much-needed relief at that point. With his left hand aiming as close to the grass as he could get it, his right hand groped at the fabric of his pants. 

The damage wasn’t too bad, but it was done all the same. At the very least, he wouldn’t have to spend extra time waiting for it to dry out. Link pushed out the last dribbles and shook off any remaining drops. After putting himself away he picked up a handful of dry grass nearby and rubbed it over the front of his pants. Now, the dampness was hardly noticeable. It would do. The puddle was already soaked entirely into the earth. 

But it was troubling to him, the past two days. Almost as much as the fact that he could remember very little from his life before he awoke in the cave. Why couldn’t he control himself? Why couldn’t he feel it before disaster struck? 

Link sighed and stood up to stretch. He would have to be cautious, then. Stop frequently to take care of himself. Especially in the event that he met anyone else in this empty land. He would cause enough of a stir having to learn the world anew. 

Regardless, it was time for him to finish his exploration with the cold, snowy mountains that stretched above him. The Sheikah slate had so much empty space to fill, as did his mind. 

Time to figure out where he’d come from, and where he should go next. 

~

With his new doublet, the climb up the mountains was far less arduous than he could have ever expected. Even taking mouthfuls of freshly-fallen snow to quench his thirst didn’t bother him too much. The functions of the Sheikah Slate were more rounded out by his discoveries. A few more groups of Bokoblins were dispatched after trying in vain to do the same to him. Even the odd automatons with a strange glowing eyes proved no match for Link. 

The shrines and much of the plateau were thoroughly explored. There was only one thing left to do, and only one thing on Link’s mind.

The old man had much to tell him, now. 

It took him a good part of an hour to climb the outer walls of the Temple of Time. He frequently had to stop to rest, otherwise he risked his muscles failing him. And falling so far to the hard ground was less than desirable. But finally, he made it to the roof. He avoided the holes in the structure and made it up the bell tower with little trouble.

The old man was waiting for him there. 

Link imagined that he must have been spry for his age if he could make it up here on his own. Before Link could ask after him, it suddenly occurred to him that he had seen this man’s face before. He had been unable to see it clearly under the hood until that time. But now, even in the dimming light of the setting sun, Link could make out all of his features.

The old man seemed to notice, and he began to speak.

~

Finally, the evil that had plagued his dreams had a name: Calamity Ganon. 

The woman from his more pleasant dream. The old man provided her name, as well.

And… _his_ name. 

Zelda. Link. He spelled them both out in his hands, and felt warmer, more whole by how familiar they were. 

He had been her chosen knight. 

And the old man, this pale and towering figure in front of him, suddenly transformed in a phantasmal and cold green fire. And he was now garbed in the finest robes and a crown. This version of him, the one standing straight and tall with authority, Link remembered very clearly. 

The old king wasn’t just spry for his age. He was spry for not being alive anymore. 

King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. 

Link looked up at him with reverence, his breath having completely left his body. A flood of fragmented memories were coming back to him all at once. His legs lost all strength and he dropped to his knees. So much was bursting into his mind, he could hardly process any of it. All he could do was try to understand the burden on his shoulders.

He feared. 

He hoped. 

He _remembered_. 

The king rumbled, his voice suddenly sounding hollow and distant. “I advise you next visit Kakariko Village and seek a woman named Impa. She may shed light on more of this. My time left on this plane is nearly over. In my stead, I beseech thee: protect our beloved Hyrule. Defeat the evil which my daughter has kept sealed for so long. You are strong, Link. It is all in your hands.”

With an otherworldly whisper, the king disappeared into the wind, leaving the paraglider in his wake. With that, Link was entirely alone in the tower, but with the means to leave the Great Plateau and finally, finally see the rest of the world. Meet its people. 

Live anew.

It was only then, when he was entirely by himself, that he heard the faint hissing sound, along with the loud splatter of liquid against stone. There was no stopping it, and he was too tired to try. There was too much on his mind to even think too much about it. But he did feel the warm wetness spread down his legs and pool at his knees. He looked down and saw even the front of his doublet was sporting a large, dark stain. The puddle beneath him only grew larger with time. 

He had been holding in so much and he never even knew. 

Eventually, the hissing died down and the splatter faded into a quiet dripping. Link fingered the soaked material of his pants, shook his head, and stood up. His pants were still dripping. But there was no time to feel ashamed of himself. He had to wash up before the sun went all the way down and strike out first thing the next morning.

Link picked up the paraglider, the weight and shape feeling as natural to him as any other part of his body. With nothing else to do, he jumped off of the tower, and glided down toward the nearest pond. The liquid dripping off his ankles glittered in the red sunlight and fell off of him to the ground in a sparkling trail. 

At the very least, he hoped against hope that he could relearn the control of his bladder, just like everything else. 

After all, how could the world still believe in him if they knew?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I mentioned this was gonna be a multi-ship sort of thing? And not just with Link, hehe.

Link left the Great Plateau the next morning at first light, already having washed his clothes and gathered more supplies for himself. The world opened up as he set foot on the ground under the shadow of the plateau’s cliff face. In the distance he saw more Sheikah towers and the foggy shadows of mountain ranges, but just in front of him was the ruin of a small fort and a dirt road passing through its middle. 

Clearly no one lived here anymore. But they might just be further out. Link could hardly wait to see another friendly (or at least human) face, and so he set off along the road, narrowly avoiding the attention of a tall, single-horned beast sleeping against a broken stone pillar. 

The day wore on as Link trekked down the path, occasionally stopping for food and water. He decided to avoid crossing a stone bridge that stretched over the banks of a river, as he expected hostile creatures to be nearby. He hadn’t seen anyone for several hours by the time he made it to the closest Sheikah tower, and after an arduous climb, the map revealed a large section of land that would take days to explore. Link spotted a circular, wooden building in the distance from his height, however, and decided his best bet at finding people was to head that way. 

Back on the ground, Link began in the direction of the building, but suddenly noticed a pressure in his lower stomach. He was at the foot of a hill when he decided to stop for a few moments and take care of himself. After all, there was no one around for miles, and he hardly wanted to introduce himself while being caught short. He couldn’t think of a less appealing first impression. 

Link stepped off of the trail and stood in the grass while he untied his trousers. For once, he felt like he was finally getting the hang of this whole “living” thing again. He felt his need, and he was going to take care of it in time. 

The hero everyone was expecting might just be as capable as they needed him to be. 

Link pulled his flaccid length out of his pants and released a long sigh along with a thick stream of urine into the grass. The green blades shook and sparkled with the falling droplets and the dry ground beneath them began to flood.

Over the sound of splashing liquid, however, Link heard a noise behind him. The scrape of a small rock between a boot and the road. His hand was off his cock and on the hilt of his sword in less than a second and he spun on his heel to face his adversary. 

“Oh! Goddesses!” 

To Link’s relief, it wasn’t a monster taking advantage of his dropped guard. It was a Hylian, a woman with short brown hair, a set of traveler's clothes, and sun-kissed skin. Her face was friendly, her eyes glittering in the sunlight, and what a welcome sight she was. Her cheeks were darkened with a touch of red, as well - Link imagined she had been walking outside for a while, too. 

Link slid his sword back into his hilt and waved at the stranger, signing an apology with a sheepish look on his face. “Haven’t seen anyone in a while,” Link explained. “Thought you were…”

It was only then he noticed the woman’s hand in front of her mouth and how wide her eyes were. And now that it was silent, the sound of his urine still splashing into the grass was loud and clear. 

Link, his face now bright red, turned back around as quickly as he could. He tried to stop pissing, but there was far too much to hold back. And so, the gaze of the woman burning into his back, Link finished emptying his bladder uncontrollably for the next several seconds. He didn’t bother shaking it off before putting it away, and a few drops ended up soaking into his trousers. He hoped the doublet would cover it up. Link wiped his hands down on his trousers and turned back toward the road. His eyes were cast toward the ground as he returned to the packed dirt. 

“Very sorry about that,” Link signed, his cheeks so warm that his eyes began watering.

“No, I’m—“ the woman began as she approached him. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you, I promise.” 

“No problem.” Link brushed his hair out of his eyes and did his best to face the woman. “I’ve been trying to find a building nearby. Do you know where it is?”

The woman’s face brightened and she nodded. “The stable? I just came from there! You’ll see it at the crest of this hill.” 

“Thank you,” Link signed. He scratched the back of his neck, still embarrassed at the circumstances of his first meeting with another person since his resurrection. This was less than unbecoming of a hero. Or a knight. Or even a man who lived in any sort of polite society. “Again. I apologize--“

The woman shook her head and smiled, “Really, don’t worry about it. I’ve seen much stranger stuff out here in the wild.” She pointed in the direction of the hill, somewhat west of where she’d indicated the stable was. “Like over there. If I were you, I’d steer clear of the road past the stable. The Guardians have been re-activating. I’ve seen them walking around and everything.”

Link nodded. The King had alluded to the existence of those things, and he’d even snuck past several stationary ones on the Great Plateau. He was definitely not in any condition to take those on. Not without some better equipment and experience. 

“I’ll avoid them. Thank you.”

They bid goodbye to each other. Link turned around when he made it to the top of the hill and watched the woman disappear behind a copse of trees. 

He sighed and felt his face burning up again. The first person he ran into, and he humiliated himself. Link hoped that he wouldn’t have to face her again, and that there were enough people in the world that this incident would go unnoticed. 

Just a few minutes later he spotted the building, which was decorated with multicolored fabrics and a large wooden facsimile of a horse’s head. Several people were milling about around the premises, tending to the goats in a pen, washing clothes in the nearby river, and sitting around a cooking pot. 

People. Life. _Normalcy._

Finally. 

Link made his way down the road, his heart singing at the thought of it all. 

~ 

He’d forgotten how easily he made friends during his time asleep. Or perhaps everyone at the stable was just kind. Either way, Link was happy to meet them. He was careful to avoid revealing too much about himself, but asked plenty of questions of his new acquaintances. He met both staff of the stable, merchants, and travelers alike. They cooked a meal for everyone at the stable, each of them contributing something if they had it to give.

It felt so indescribably good, to share food with others, to listen to their stories and laugh. He filled his stomach with the eclectic and satisfying stew they made, and even accepted the offer of some wine. 

Link forgot his problems for a few hours. It was impossible to think about them when he was having so much fun. 

It was only when everyone began to clean up and prepare for bed that it occurred to Link that there might be an issue. The sleeping arrangements in the stable were all within the same room. There was no privacy beyond a curtain on each bed. 

Link’s mind raced. It was difficult for him to keep dry at night. Even when he relieved himself just before bed, there was a chance he would be desperate as soon as he awoke, assuming he hadn’t already gone. It was bad enough wetting his own clothes, or a bed that hadn’t been slept in for years - it would be so much worse if it happened again here. He had just met a large group of people that were likely to remember him in the days to follow. It couldn’t happen like this. 

Link took a short walk around the stable to try and clear his head, make things easier to think about. He slipped in behind some trees to take his last piss for the evening, and squeezed his muscles as hard as he could. He had to make sure he let out everything. It was when he walked back toward the stable and past the goat pen that an idea came to him. 

“I grew up on a farm,” he explained to his new friends. Now, he wasn’t entirely sure this was accurate. He had some small and malformed concept of being young and napping against a sleeping cow, the smell of hay in his nostrils. But it was something he could use. “I sleep better outside, among animals. Besides, I have no money at the moment.” He put on a sheepish grin that he hoped was believable. 

At the very least, the stable master found it to be an amusing story. “My youngest was the same way until she was twelve,” he laughed. “She stopped once her hair grew long enough ‘n she got tired of combing all that hay out every morning. Let me lend you a blanket for the night at least, eh? Might be a cold one.”

Thankful for multiple reasons, Link bid goodnight to the group and walked out to toward the goat pen. There was a small lean-to that provided a roof to the hay bales, and so Link laid down beneath it, resting his head on his bag. The scent of the earth and hay made him feel at home in a way he hadn’t since his awakening. In an effort to keep the blanket dry, just in case, he turned over on his side and hoped it would be enough.

Sleep came to him easily once more, as did another highly vivid dream. 

~

“Oh, dear.” 

It was the King’s name day. And such celebrations were rather dangerous for Link. People loved to fill the princess’ chosen knight with wine, just to see how he’d act, and he was too obliging to refuse any of them. 

Many thought it was especially hilarious to encourage him to match a Gerudo or a Goron drink for drink. Not only were they several times larger than he was, but Link’s tolerance was never very high to begin with. 

It was on this night, when Link was doing his best to keep up with the Gerudo Champion of Hyrule, that he realized just how elaborate his formal knight uniform was. 

Link stumbled outside into the courtyard, the other partygoers having finally given him a moment’s peace, as his belly and bladder sloshed around inside of him. Luckily no one else was outside at that moment, because Link was desperate to relieve himself discreetly if at all possible. 

However, his fingers weren’t exactly cooperating. And neither was his outfit. There were belts to undo, buttons to unfasten, and far too many fancy fabrics between him and maintaining his dignity. 

All the while, his bladder grew closer and closer to emptying of its own volition. Link stuffed his hands between his legs for a few moments to try and regain control. It was at that moment he heard the lament behind him. 

Link looked over his shoulder, his cheeks burning extra hot now. There was Zelda, in an equally elaborate outfit, along with the aforementioned champion, Urbosa. 

“He’s having trouble,” Zelda tittered, though not cruelly. She was clearly sympathetic to his plight, though apparently unable to help him at all. 

Urbosa let out a small chuckle at that. By comparison to Link, she was as sober as a nun. It helped that she was the tallest woman Link had ever seen, with flaming red hair teased high to match. 

“It isn’t his fault,” the champion said, stroking Zelda’s hair. “You and I can just lift our skirts aside. He’s an unfortunate prisoner of formality.”

Zelda’s face went red, not just from Urbosa’s touch but from the idea of being caught short. “W-Well. We have to… help, don’t we?”

“I think it may be too late,” sighed Urbosa. 

It was. Link just hadn’t realized it yet. He was too drunk to even feel it start, but he could certainly hear the hiss of liquid against several layers of cloth. The dark spot spread across the front of his pants, soaked the hands that were still trying in vain to hold on, and even began growing across his bottom as it traveled down his legs. 

Link let out a dazed whimper as his fluids streamed into his boots and onto the ground. He turned around shakily, still in the process of soaking his clothes, to see if he was embarrassing himself in front of any more people. Thankfully, it was just the two women so far. Zelda had covered her face with her hands, and may have been stifling laughter. Urbosa, by contrast, just looked mildly amused but mostly exasperated. 

Link couldn’t even remove his hands from his crotch, somehow. As if he could cover up what had just happened, even though the evidence was all over his pants and the ground beneath him. He looked up at Urbosa, desperate for some sort of assistance. She gazed back down at him for a few moments before a smile crossed her blue-painted lips. 

A second passed, and Zelda peeked through her fingers to see Link still dripping and blushing. And her hands fell off of her face in shock as she saw Urbosa stride forward and effortlessly pick Link up in her arms and carry him to the nearby fish pond. Unceremoniously, she dropped him in with a tremendous splash. 

“What are you doing?!” Zelda half-shouted and half-laughed. 

“Helping,” Urbosa replied simply. She pulled Link out of the pond by his armpits, leaving him entirely soaked from head to toe. “Poor Link. So drunk he fell in the pond.”

So much had happened in the past minute that it was overloading Link’s drunken mind. So, all he could do was start laughing. Urbosa soon joined him, and picked him up once more and slung him easily over her shoulder. 

“I think it’s time we put this knight to bed, don’t you, Princess?” 

Zelda followed Urbosa inside, giggling, “I think you have the right idea, my Champion.”

~

With a dream like that, it was no surprise to Link that he woke up soaked to the bone from the waist down. And in his sleep he had turned over and become tangled in the borrowed blanket. It, too, was wet. 

Link sighed. This wasn’t going to be pleasant to explain. It was still early enough that no one was up or about, and it was darker out than he expected. As his eyes adjusted to the low light of the morning, he realized that he wasn’t the only one getting wet. Dark clouds were rolling across the sky, and just inches away from his shelter, the ground was being peppered with raindrops. 

Link sighed with relief and rolled out from under the roof. 

“Rotten luck, eh?” asked the stablemaster as he observed a completely soaked Link hurry inside just a short while later. 

“Could be worse,” Link signed as he sat down near the fireplace.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note before the next chapter: I've also outlined a bunch of future chapters as of this moment. This thing's gonna go on a while so strap in.

The rain let up by the early afternoon, and by that time Link’s clothes were dried by the fireplace. He was thankful that he could put them back on and stop shivering under a borrowed blanket. Someone was also kind enough to bring him some warmed leftovers of the stew they’d shared the night before. 

And no one was the wiser about Link’s problem. 

Not yet. 

It was difficult to forget how easy it would be to slip up and be exposed. But at the very least, he’d survived the prior night without discovery.

Link bid goodbye to his new friends at the stable, and then set out toward the twin mountains in the distance. He was told that road would take him to Kakariko Village, which he had determined was his first destination based on the King’s instructions. But there was a lot of ground to cover before he would get there. 

~ 

It was becoming increasingly difficult to avoid conflict as Link made his way across the valley. Many of Ganon’s minions were clever enough to construct watch towers out of wood or use high ground to their advantage. There was some benefit to re-learning all of the skills he’d honed so long ago; plus, he was able to swipe more weapons and supplies from his fallen adversaries. But by the time he made it through the path between the Dueling Peaks, he was exhausted. 

Therefore, he was eternally grateful to find another stable waiting for him at the fork in the road.

And yet, as he approached, Link’s apprehension began growing. He’d failed to stay dry during the last night, and he wasn’t sure he could manage the same trick, especially given he couldn’t predict the weather. However, he’d managed to pick up some rupees from his battles that day. Maybe he could manage something else. 

Sure enough, upon arriving and greeting those at the stable, the innkeeper at the counter asked when Link would like to be woken up. Perfect; he could sleep for a few hours without worry that he wouldn’t get up in time to relieve himself. Link paid the man, asked him to get him up before sunrise, and went off to explore the area immediately surrounding the stable. Might as well look around while he was still awake, he figured. 

That was when he spotted a small group of horses near the river just meters away. In the low, orange light of the setting sun, their coat shined as they meandered through the tall, swaying grass. 

Link’s muscle memory began kicking in. His body recalled the pull of the reins and the soreness of sitting on a saddle for hours on end. In his nostrils was the smell of hay and sweat and fur. And his heart ached with the knowledge that he missed an animal with which he had formed a strong bond, who was most certainly no longer on this earth. 

He filed that thought away for later. No use dwelling on a sadness he couldn’t even fully understand yet. 

For now, he realized a horse would make travel so much faster and easier. And the stable master assured him that they could equip him with whatever he would need if he brought them a horse. 

Upon trying a quiet approach, focusing his gaze on the noble beasts in front of him, Link accidentally stepped on a branch, which snapped cleanly in half with a crack. The horses scattered automatically without even looking to see what made the sound. Link sighed. This might take a little while. 

The evening wore on as Link repeatedly crouched, crawled, and snuck around the field, hiding behind trees and between the tall grass. The horses were wary to begin with, and any sudden nearby sound would send them trotting off. Link considered just going to bed and trying again in the morning, but he couldn’t be sure they would still be here if he waited. Besides, the low light was finally to his advantage. 

Finally, soon after the sun had slipped behind the mountains in the distance, Link was able to draw near a solid gray-colored mare who was drinking from the river. The sound of the flowing water helped to mask his footsteps as they scraped against the gravel. When he was close enough to reach, Link braced his entire body before taking hold of the horse’s mane and springing up and into her back. 

The reaction was immediate. Bucking and whinnying, the mare struggled under Link’s grasp, causing her back to collide over and over between his legs. His grip was strong, however, and she was fighting a losing battle. He was used to these motions. 

What he wasn’t used to was several hundred pounds of force slamming into his crotch multiple times in a row. He suddenly felt his underwear soak with hot liquid, unable even to stop it from happening due to the impact. He hadn’t even realized he had to go at all; it could be that he didn’t until that moment. 

In spite of the pain knocking the wind out of him, and the piss spilling uncontrollably into his pants, Link hung onto her mane until she finally settled down. By that point, the crotch of Link’s pants was inundated, and the horse’s fur was sustaining a large wet patch as well. 

With the mare calm (though seeming somewhat annoyed), Link stuffed one hand between his legs to try to stop the flood. He was panting shortly from his previous efforts and breathing was a struggle. A coughing fit overtook him. There was no way for him to stem the flow in this condition. It continued to hiss out of him and down his legs, and he cringed at the sound of it pattering against the gravel. 

It ended, eventually. Link sighed and patted the horse on the neck in apology. He’d asked a lot of this animal in the past minute or so. He resolved not to rest until he at the very least cleaned up his own mess. 

After riding back toward the stable, Link stopped the mare not far off from the structure and dismounted. He snuck behind a stack of crates and borrowed a bucket, returning to his horse immediately after. He was lucky it was so dark. No one could see the giant stain down the front of his pants even in the moonlight. 

A few buckets of water went over the horse’s back, and another was poured over Link’s bottom half. The cold touch made him shiver, but he had to do it. There was no proper way to explain what had happened other than covering it up. 

“Looks like you had quite a struggle,” the stable master laughed as he helped Link outfit his new mare with a saddle and reins. “You get bucked into the river?”

Link feigned a chuckle and nodded. Then he signed, “She put up a fight.” Not necessarily a lie. That made it easier to pull off. 

In the following minutes, as the stable master boarded the mare for the night, Link hung his pants over a chair and climbed into the nearest bed. His undergarments were still damp, but he was too tired to care. 

At least he was empty now.

 

~ 

Link awoke when shaken gently by the stable master. Outside of the inn, it was still quite dark, as the sun had not even had the chance to peek over the mountaintops. 

Strangely, he did not dream that night; he guessed it was a result of sleeping for only a few hours. But thankfully, he was dry. Another crisis averted. 

Link put his now-dry pants back on and began gathering his things to head out. There was a canyon pass up ahead, and through it he would find Kakariko Village and its chief, Impa. Eager to gather as much information as he could, he asked the stable master to retrieve his new horse. 

“I forgot to ask you for a name for this girl,” the stable master laughed as he brought her out. “Y’have one in mind?”

The horse looked upon Link with wary but kind blue eyes which shone in the light of the single lantern. He gave it a few moments’ thought before spelling out: “R-I-V-E-R”.

~

As the basics of everyday life fell together in a routine, other things returned chaotically and unexpectedly. While riding up the mountain path as the sun rose, a memory came to him, so vivid that he pulled River to a stop as it replayed in his mind. 

He recalled his first time out with Princess Zelda, just the two of them, when she was allowed to start conducting more of her research. Prior to that, a group of soldiers would follow close behind. Their experiences then were awkward and Zelda was quick to frustration. But now, they were far more comfortable with each other. She could leave the castle grounds so long as Link was with her, and they weren’t to stray too far for their first outing. Given this was the first time he was entrusted with accompanying Zelda alone, Link intended to take it as seriously as he could. This meant he hadn’t thought about taking care of himself prior to passing through the castle gate. 

He couldn’t let her out of his sight for even a moment. Not for anything. 

The sun was rising over the green plains in front of the castle town. The orange light cast over the grass and copses of trees gave it an unearthly, fiery glow that gave it a unique beauty. It was the perfect backdrop to emphasize the beauty of his companion. 

They had just begun getting to know each other at that time. If he had any problems with his bladder, Zelda certainly didn’t know about it yet. Her ironclad focus on anything interesting made her somewhat oblivious, he noticed. 

But goddesses, was she radiant when she spoke about her passions. She kept one hand on the reins of her fancifully-outfitted white horse while the other gestured with her words. Her blue eyes sparkled with life and curiosity of the world. Link did his best to listen to what she said but found himself distracted just by the lilting sound of her voice. 

“And it really is quite fascinating, how they migrate. I wonder how they just know when and where to go…” Zelda sighed as she glanced over at Link, noticing his somewhat blank expression. “You are quite the inscrutable fellow, aren’t you? I hope I’m not boring you.”

Link quickly shook his head in a panic. “Not at all!” he signed, letting the reins fall from his hands. They were moving at a slow trot, and so he felt no need to steer constantly. “I apologize. I know so little about these things. Your knowledge is impressive to me.”

Zelda tittered and blushed lightly. “Thank you. I was meant to learn plenty for my station in life, but my interest in biology is mostly a personal hobby. And I truly appreciate your accompanying me; my father is loathe to let me leave the castle town without immense guard, but he seems to trust you.”

Link nodded and beamed. “He trusted my father, too. Maybe that’s part of it.”

“That may very well be…” 

They rode on in a comfortable silence for the next hour or so, with a few instances of Zelda pointing out something she saw in the distance. Mainly, she wanted to explore the lands surrounding Hyrule Castle. Her movements had been highly structured throughout her childhood and she seemed to yearn for more freedom. 

Zelda pointed to the south, though not at anything in particular. “The Spring of Courage lies that way, though I’ve never been. My grandmother used to speak of it. The women in my family usually manifest some measure of heavenly power or magical ability by my age… but I am already 19. And there is no sign of it in me as of yet.” Her eyes downcast, she let out a sigh. “Of course, I thought research could be its own sort of magic. But my father certainly does not see it that way.”

Link furrowed his brow; life wasn’t quite as easy for the princess as he’d once thought. “I would be happy to advocate for you,” he offered. “I think this is important, not just because it makes you happy.”

She shook her head but smiled at him. “I thank you for the offer. But if I cannot convince him, I doubt anyone can. It may be a lost cause. But I suppose it does not hurt for us to keep trying.”

It was around this time they were coming upon a forest carved low into the earth, off any beaten path.

“Ah, there it is!” Zelda exclaimed. “This is what I was hoping to look at today.”

It was around this time Link became aware of his needs. He had been drinking water to remain healthy throughout their ride, as he was taught to do, but he usually did not have to wait to relieve himself. With the other knights, it was as simple as stepping off of the road for a few moments. 

By this point, his bladder was sloshing full in his belly, and the light bouncing of the horse was putting unnecessary pressure on it. But Zelda had already proved to be somewhat squeamish about this. He’d given her quite a shock not too long ago while walking in the courtyard. So the thought of asking for a break for this purpose was rather embarrassing. Notwithstanding, they’d just arrived. And with the dangers the forest could hide, there was no way he could discreetly leave her alone for any period of time. 

Zelda dismounted easily onto the mossy forest floor. Link mimicked her, but quite a bit more gingerly. She surveyed the trees in front of her as she tied her horse’s reins to a low-hanging branch. He started to tie up his own horse, watching Zelda carefully and giving his crotch a light squeeze when she wasn’t looking. Holding it was already a struggle; this was going to be a problem.

Zelda retrieved a large leather bag from her saddle and slung it over her shoulder. “Now, since you are here anyway, would you mind assisting me with my survey? All we need do is take samples of any sort of mushroom you can spot. Two sets of eyes will make everything easier.”

“I don’t mind--” Link was about to ask for a few moments’ break first, but Zelda had already turned around by that time. She was determined to start looking, it appeared. At this point, even thinking about asking was causing him more and more anxiety. His stomach clenched with worry and with the effort of holding in so much. He began to follow her, regardless. 

“Fantastic,” Zelda said as she crouched down in front of a tree trunk. “The Silent Shrooms are still in the shade. They melt into ink late in their lives and the sun ages them very quickly…”

Hold it. He stood just a few steps away from Zelda. He had to ensure her safety above all else, though he did keep an eye out for mushrooms as he kept watch over the area. Minutes passed as she collected samples, and he shifted from foot to foot as the pressure built.

Zelda kept stuffing some red spotted mushrooms into her bag. They were plentiful, to be sure. “I know we are here for science, but these are quite tasty, and it will not hurt to take a few to eat on the way home…”

Hold it. Hold it. He thought the words over and over, as if it were a magic spell. He was closer and closer to leaking with every step he took and every moment he waited.

“Have you seen anything? Just tap me if you want me to look.” Zelda looked back at him and smiled, completely unaware as to her knight’s predicament. 

Please hold it, please, please, please... Link pretended to look around, but had to remain focused on not embarrassing himself. Zelda was already good at this, she didn’t necessarily need him to help… But he had to at least look like he was trying. 

“Endura shrooms?” She exclaimed this while dashing a few feet ahead. “I never thought there was such a diversity here, this is amazing…”

Link could have used one of those right about now. His own strength was starting to give out. He felt a light stream of urine escape from the aching tip of his member, and his heart skipped a terrified beat as it ran down his thigh. He gasped as quietly as he could and stuffed both hands between his legs. There was a warm, wet patch that he could feel start to grow there.

“Link,” Zelda said suddenly, standing up. “I am going to need another bag, could you retrieve one from the horse?” 

To Link’s horror, she turned around and saw him bent over, holding himself, his ears suddenly going entirely red with shame. 

“... Link, are you--?”

The shock of being discovered killed all of his control. His strength gave way entirely, and his hands were suddenly soaked with his hot, gushing relief. It soaked into his trousers, spread over the bottom of his tunic, and pattered quietly into the moss at his feet. His eyes shut tight automatically, unable to continue facing what was happening to him. 

“--all right?” She finished her sentence. But he was in no way all right. 

Here he was, having been trusted to protect the princess of the kingdom, and he was pissing himself in front of her. 

Even in the midst of this humiliation, he realized he still had a job to do. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and found Zelda with her hands over her mouth and a thunderstruck look on her face. Even though his bladder felt completely drained, it had been so stretched out that it was still leaking uncontrollably. However, it had slowed to a constant trickle that was dripping off of his knuckles.

He couldn’t communicate, make an excuse, or even explain himself. He was too embarrassed to even free his hands from his crotch. He felt tears burning at the corners of his eyes, and his vision of Zelda approaching him was blurred as a result. 

Link jumped when he felt two arms wrap around his shoulders. He almost pulled away, afraid that he would soil Zelda’s clothes with his mess. But he couldn't muster the energy. He accepted the hug, giving up on all semblance of pride. He needed someone to understand; he just didn’t realize it would be Zelda. 

“I am so sorry, Link,” she wavered in his ear as she held him tight. “I should have paid more attention. This is my fault--”

Link shook his head, hoping she would feel his disagreement, but didn’t bother to protest further even when she let go of him. 

“It’s okay,” she assured him while gazing straight into his eyes. “I will not tell a soul. We’ll get you cleaned up before we return. All right?”

Link finally let his hands fall out from between his legs, and signed, “You’re not angry?” It wasn’t as if he expected her to treat him with contempt for any reason. But this situation was wholly new to him, and he had no idea how she would react. 

“No! Of course not. It was an accident. I would be cruel to be angry with you.” She leaned forward and gave him a light kiss on the forehead, holding his burning cheek as he looked up at her. “I saw a pond just a moment ago. Let’s get you squared away before we continue, shall we?”

~

Link’s eyes were streaming as he urged River to get moving again. He wiped the tears off of his face and smiled in spite of everything. There was kindness in this world, and in his memory. He had seen it all over in the few days since he awoke. 

He knew he would find more of it at his next destination.


	6. Chapter 6

Link reached a gate decorated with the Sheikah eye symbol in the early afternoon. Having met an odd being made of living wood who was very enthused to speak to him, Link was expecting the world to offer plenty more surprises. 

After ensuring no one was approaching, he dismounted from his horse to take a quick piss against the canyon wall. He’d have to make that a habit if he wanted to get through this without humiliation. When he was done, he took the reins and walked his horse across the threshold into the village. 

Kakariko Village was safely tucked into the valley between many towering mountain peaks. The homes were roofed in straw and solidly built into the ground, dozens of people walked about the unpaved paths, and there were rows of crops or animal pens behind most of the dwellings. 

It was permanent, or at the very least it was meant to be. And the mood felt so predictable and safe as Link walked amongst its residents that he could scarcely process it. Ever since he was revived, he’d been on his toes waiting for danger to pop up at any moment. Not even the stables felt entirely secure. 

But now? He very nearly felt at home. 

Link soon approached a stately-looking building at the back of the village. It stood atop a rock jutting out of a pond, a cliff with several waterfalls serving as backdrop. Link tied up his mare at a post in front of the building and greeted the mustachioed man in a woven straw hat standing guard in front of the building. 

“Have you business with Elder Impa, stranger?” asked the guard, who seemed cautious but not necessarily unfriendly. 

Link nodded, and signed, “If she’s unsure about me, please tell her I am here on Princess Zelda’s behalf.”

The guard quirked an eyebrow, but nodded and walked up the stairs. After the guard went inside, a young woman turned the corner, carrying a broom. Her Sheikah-silver hair was half-tied up in an elaborate bun, and she wore a traditional set of clothing similar to the other residents of the village. However, she bore the tattoo of a red Sheikah eye on her forehead. That mark, and her quiet, serene beauty set her apart from many of the others he’d seen that day. 

The young woman noticed Link standing at the bottom of the stairs. Her cheeks suddenly bloomed red as their eyes met, and she turned to hurry inside the building. The guard came through the doors just seconds later. 

“She’s prepared to receive you,” the guard said as he reached ground level. “I will accompany for the time being.”

Link agreed nonverbally, and went ahead of the guard up the stairs. It was only polite to give him the power in this situation. His knight training was starting to come back to him, as well. He walked through the open doors, and the heavy odor of incense filled his nostrils. 

An old woman, sitting on her knees atop a tower of pillows as if on an altar, opened her eyes wide at his approach. Link felt an immediate familiarity with her, a knowing that they had met a very long time ago. He recalled her being much taller in her younger days, but no less wise or sharp. Her eyes, like an eagle, were the same. 

The Impa he knew was still alive, one hundred years later. Even if he didn’t remember everything, he _knew_. 

The woman reached forward, gesturing for Link to come closer. Link glanced back at the guard, who stared right back at him. 

“Dorian,” this older Impa chuckled with a rasp. “You may return to your post. I am confident he is who he claims to be.”

Dorian grunted in agreement without even a moment’s hesitation. He bowed quickly and left the building, sliding the doors shut behind him. 

Link then approached Impa as she had asked. His rough-hewn hands met hers, which were soft and shriveled with age but strong and unwavering. Her resilience and wisdom cooled his anxiety of meeting someone so important. And his courage warmed her spirit. 

A smile wrinkled her mouth and the corners of her eyes. “Paya?” she asked, suddenly turning her head to the side. 

The young woman who had been sweeping outside poked her head out hesitantly from around a corner. She seemed to avoid looking at Link as much as was possible, despite his proximity to Impa. 

“Would you be a dear and fetch a cushion for Link?” Impa requested. “And put on some tea, please. This conversation may take some time.”

The young woman, apparently named Paya, replied, “Yes, grandma—I mean, Elder.” Her cheeks reddened again and she disappeared. 

Link couldn’t help but comment, and let go of Impa’s hands to do so. “She seems very serious.”

Impa chuckled. “Paya is a devout girl. Few would willingly have the Sheikah tattoo applied to their face, but she chose it. However, she is anxious and shy around strangers, especially attractive ones.”

Link blushed a bit, himself. He hadn’t really thought about his own looks. It wasn’t a priority as of late. But he did have a sense that he had known a wide variety of people in a physical and romantic manner in his prior life. 

Paya re-entered the room moments later, her head down, carrying two small plush cushions. She set one on the floor in front of Impa, the other to her side, and bowed deeply before dashing off again before Link had the chance to thank her. He sat down on the cushion regardless. 

For the next few moments, it was silent. And then Impa began to explain everything. 

In the midst of her speech, Paya returned once more with a large pot of tea, and poured some into three cups on a tray. Both Impa and Link received a cup with gratitude, and Paya herself sat on her knees near Impa and drank from the third cup. 

Impa reminded him of the circumstances that led to their meeting. The champions. The Divine Beasts. Their names and faces flooded back to Link’s conscious memory. 

And they needed him. 

But like everything else, there was distance, time, and a gap in experience and equipment between Link and saving the spirits of his long-lost friends. 

In the time that Impa spoke, Link managed to down a number of cups of tea; this was partially because its smoky, savory, herbal taste was so lovely and reminded him of his past, and partially because he wanted Paya to feel that she was doing a good job. Because she truly was doing well, but he sensed the anxiety buzzing from her entire being. Paya drank several cups full, herself, likely out of nervous habit. Impa, however, had only some small sips between her stories so as to keep her throat from drying. 

And yet, Impa was the first to excuse herself. 

She sighed and slowly got to her feet, her joints cracking audibly as she did so. “I apologize, but I must have a short break. You know an old woman’s bladder is not what it used to be.” She shuffled off out of the room and down the hallway, waving off Paya’s attempt to get up and help her. “I’m not that useless yet, dear, don’t worry,” she chuckled. She disappeared around the corner, leaving Link and Paya with only a nervous silence between them. 

Paya stared intently into her teacup, her fingers trembling around it. Her thighs were shaking, as well. Link hadn’t considered himself to be particularly intimidating; but from what Impa told him, anyone could have caused Paya to feel like this. 

His heart ached for the difficult time she was having. So, he decided to see what he could do to help. 

Link waved in her direction, which grabbed her attention. Finally, she looked up at him, though not quite meeting his eyes. 

Link smiled warmly at her and signed, “Thank you for the tea. It’s delicious.”

Paya’s face went nearly as red as her tattoo. “O-Oh, this… this is nothing. Anyone could do it.”

Link shook his head and inched a bit closer to her without realizing what he was doing. “Not at all. I think you did very well.”

“Thank you,” Paya all but whispered at the floor. “But you need not flatter me. I know you are very important, I am just here to serve the village—“

“You’re just as important as me or anyone else,” he continued. “Impa told me how rare it is to have the eye tattoo. I’m sure a lot of people rely on you here.” He was even closer now, adamant to boost her confidence. If he could get her to smile, he thought, she would be more comfortable. 

“Really, there is no need to—“ Paya looked up and jumped a bit when she saw how much closer Link was to her now. Suddenly, the color drained from her face, and a quiet hissing sound filled Link’s ears. 

He panicked for a short moment, thinking he had forgotten his needs before it was too late. But he looked down at his lap and found it entirely dry. Link glanced at Paya, and saw that the front of her pants held a quickly spreading wet patch. In seconds, her crotch was streaming heavily into her clothes and soaked into the cushion below her.

Tears starting to well up in her eyes, Paya covered her face as the cushion became dark and inundated. Link’s heart sank into his stomach, unable to even apologize if Paya wasn’t looking at him. He’d never expected his attempts to cheer her would have this effect. His mind raced as to what to do to help. Before he could come up with a solution, Paya sobbed and scrambled to her feet, still draining heavily. She stumbled to the front door, slid it open, and sprinted out of the building, leaving a trail of droplets in her wake. 

Link was left alone for several moments before he heard Dorian shout to Paya from outside. In spite of the situation he heard Paya respond loudly, “Everything is fine! Please do not follow!”

Link’s heart sank into his stomach as he sat in silence. In his effort to help, he only made everything worse. Suddenly he heard a door slide open from across the hallway. Realizing that Impa would soon return, his mind raced for a solution to the problem he’d caused. His eyes fell upon the teapot, still partially full. 

“I wanted to pour some for her,” he explained just moments later. “But it slipped and got all over.” He gestured toward the pillow, now holding an upended teapot and its spilled contents. “Sorry to cause trouble for you and Paya,” Link signed as Impa shook her head. 

“No trouble, I assure you.” She smiled kindly. It seemed she had fallen for the ruse. “Let us continue speaking tomorrow, eh? I expect you could use some rest.”

“Please let me help clean up first,” he entreated. “At least until Paya comes back.”

Impa reached up and placed a hand on Link’s shoulder. “You have always been such a helpful and considerate young man. Well, I won’t argue with saving my knees some strain.”

Sometime in the ensuing few minutes, Dorian entered through the front doors once again to find Link mopping the floor. A realization seemed to dawn on him at that moment.

“That certainly explains that,” the guard mumbled to himself. 

Impa then had Dorian assist her in ascending the stairs to go to bed, and assured Link that Paya could lead him to the inn once she returned. Link wanted to protest, knowing how awkward it might be for her, but could not come up with any believable excuse at the time. He was left alone to continue cleaning until the front door slid open once again. 

Paya had put on a clean pair of billowing white pants, and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw what Link was doing. Her face once more bloomed red and she turned to run out. His heart leaping, Link set the mop against the wall and took off after her. 

Paya had already descended the stairs by the time Link made it outside. He swiftly went down as carefully as he could at that speed, and followed Paya as she dashed off along the path that led out of the village. 

In his urgency, Link forgot all about the tea he’d drunk recently. Just as well; he didn’t even feel his bladder swelling from it. 

He was about to lose sight of her around the corner of a cliff, and so Link let out a wordless shout, unable to ask her to wait if she wasn’t already looking at him. Paya looked back and seemed surprised, though she did not stop immediately. She took another glance backward over her shoulder, slowed, and then stopped. She turned toward Link with her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide. 

Link caught up with her and stopped just a few feet away, panting heavily. He signed, “Don’t worry, they think the teapot spilled.”

Paya stared at the ground at Link’s feet, then looked back up at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but covered her eyes before she finally squeaked, “I-I’m more worried about you, now!”

Link didn’t have time to ask what she meant. He suddenly realized that the evening air was sending a chill along his legs, even though he was entirely clothed. He did not even have to look down to know what had happened to him. 

The dirt path grew dark with his puddle, and Link had no power to stop it. He didn’t even bother to hold his dripping crotch. In abrupt shame, Link squatted on the ground to finish without damaging his boots any further, and hid his face in his hands. 

Everything he’d worked for was in danger. All because he couldn’t leave well enough alone. 

The dripping stopped eventually, and Link still couldn’t bring himself to stand up. Not until he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

“I… suppose that would make us even, wouldn’t it?” 

He dropped his hands. The young woman was looking down with an empathetic expression on her face. Link slowly rose to a standing position, but still couldn’t stand to meet Paya’s eyes. 

“You must think I’m pathetic,” Link signed. “I’m meant to be a hero. I’m not even strong enough to—“

Paya shook her head and spoke before he could finish his sentence. “No more of that. Elder Impa believes in you. She would not have spent so long reminding you of your past if she didn’t.”

Link stood still in shock. For such a shy person, Paya could certainly stand her ground when needed. 

“Besides all of that,” she went on. “You would not let me say such things about myself. What sort of person would I be if I didn’t return the favor?” A sheepish smile spread over her face. 

Link couldn’t help but grin in return. Perhaps, in spite of everything, it wasn’t as hopeless as he’d feared. 

With a short laugh, he asked, “In that case, can you show me where I can clean up?”


End file.
